Six Big 12 Games That Could Prove Cowgirls Are Ready To Make Noise in March

As of Thursday, the Cowgirls rank 27th in the NET, which doesn’t equate to NCAA seeds exactly, but does suggest a ballpark.

ESPN’s Charlie Creme currently projects OSU to receive a six seed, putting the Cowgirls somewhere between 21-24 overall.

Coach Jacie Hoyt isn’t satisfied with the status quo. She and the Cowgirls hope to once again prove themselves as contenders in the Big 12.

That starts with getting some Quad 1 and 2 victories. OSU is currently 0-1 in Quad 1 games (Oklahoma) and 1-0 in Quad 2 games (Miami).

Once conference play begins, most of the Big 12 should begin climbing up the ranks, altering these numbers. However, as things stand currently, Oklahoma State has five more Quad 1 games and seven more Quad 2 opportunities in the regular season.

Typically, both the NCAA seeding committee and the NET rankings make it difficult for teams to climb exceptionally high without Quad 1 victories.

Here are six games for OSU fans to circle:

Home vs No. 15 Baylor on Dec. 31st, NET Rank: 28

The Bears’ NET ranking is only three away from Quad 1 status, and Baylor’s only two losses this season have come against teams ranked 11th or higher in the AP Poll.

It will also be only the second true road game for Baylor this season, including a Nov. 14, 8-point win at UNLV.

At No. 9 TCU on Jan. 7, NET Rank: 8

The unbeaten Horned Frogs (11-0) are the highest-ranked team left on OSU’s schedule.

The road atmosphere likely gives OSU a bit of house money to play with, but if the Cowgirls can get the win, we should be able to start discussing the chance for home NCAA Tournament games, awarded to the top 16 seeds.

The biggest crack in that argument could be OSU’s best friend on that day. TCU’s schedule has been rather uneven so far, with one Quad 1 and one Quad 2 game. Every other opponent falls in Quad 4 territory. TCU will warm up with two Quad 2 games on the road and a Quad 3 opponent at home between now and OSU’s visit.

Home vs No. 10 Iowa State on Jan. 18, NET Rank: 13

The first of two meetings with Iowa State this season comes only 11 days after the Cowgirls’ shot at TCU. So this could be the chance for a confident group to build on momentum or a second chance at a signature win.

That won’t be an easy week for Iowa State either, with a home game vs West Virginia (more on them later) and a road trip to a solid-looking Colorado (9-3) coming in the 7-day leadup.

At Arizona State on Feb. 4, NET Rank: 44

Arizona State is four spots away from turning into a Quad 1 opponent for the Cowgirls. Based on current numbers, this is very likely the lowest-ranked opponent that could count for the Q1.

When it comes to seeding, every win in the upper categories counts, so this could provide a sneaky resume boost.

Home vs Texas Tech on Feb. 14, NET Rank: 22

The Red Raiders (13-0) are the unofficial No. 27 team in the AP Poll. If Texas Tech looks good in the next month, then this could be a clash of ranked teams.

And if it’s not, it’s still likely a home game that will count in the top two quadrants.

At West Virginia on Feb. 21, NET Rank: 25

Oklahoma State ends the regular season with a two-game road trip against WVU, then Iowa State, before returning home to face Kansas.

Those road games are the Cowgirls’ last guaranteed ones that should count as Quad 1s. Barring a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament, this could be the last chance to leave a lasting impression on the committee.

Other significant home games:

vs BYU on Jan. 28, NET Rank: 52

vs Utah on Feb. 16, NET Rank: 45